Publication - Research and analysis
Electoral reform: consultation analysis
Analysis of Electoral Reform consultation.
Annex 2: Number of responses to each question
Table A2.1 below shows the number of respondents who answered each of the consultation questions.
Table A2.1: Number of responses to each consultation question
| Question | Number of responses | % of total (911) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do you think the term length for the Scottish Parliament and local government should be: [4 years? / 5 years? / Other length (please specify)?] | 743 | 82% |
| 2 | Do you have any other comments or suggestions on term lengths? | 305 | 33% |
| 3 | Do you agree that the Electoral Management Board and the Board’s Convener should be given the same functions in relation to Scottish Parliament elections as they already have for local government elections? [Yes / No] | 695 | 76% |
| 4 | Do you have any other views on the future role of the Electoral Management Board? | 141 | 15% |
| 5 | Should the Returning Officer appointment for Scottish Parliament elections continue to be on an appointment on a personal basis, independent from Scottish Government and local authority control? [Yes / No] | 712 | 78% |
| 6 | Should the role of the Returning Officer become part of the job description of local authority Chief Executives? (This is not currently the case and would require renegotiation of terms and conditions.) [Yes / No] | 701 | 77% |
| 7 | Do you have any other comments or suggestions about who should have the role of Retuning Officer or how Returning Officers should be paid? | 229 | 25% |
| 8 | Do you agree that candidates’ addresses should not be required to appear on ballot papers for local government elections? [Yes / No] | 741 | 81% |
| 9 | Do you have any other comments to make on this issue? | 248 | 27% |
| 10a | Do you agree that, in order to counteract the list order effect, a change should be made to the way in which candidates are listed on election ballot papers? [Yes / No] | 676 | 74% |
| 10b | If so, what form of new system would you favour: [Rotation / Randomisation / Alphabetical–reverse alphabetical / Any other (please specify)] Please select all that apply. | 588 | 65% |
| 11 | Do you have any other comments to make on this issue? | 146 | 16% |
| 12a | Would you be happy to use an electronic voting machine in a polling place instead of a traditional ballot paper? [Yes / No] | 747 | 82% |
| 12b | Would you like voting to be possible on more than one day? [Yes / No] | 747 | 82% |
| 12c | Would you like to be able to vote at any polling place in Scotland? [Yes / No] | 746 | 82% |
| 12d | Do you have any other comments? | 325 | 36% |
| 13a | If internet or mobile phone voting was available, would you choose to use that rather than vote at a polling place or by post? [Yes / No] | 741 | 81% |
| 13b | If internet or mobile phone voting was available, would you be more likely to vote? [Yes / No] | 741 | 81% |
| 13c | Would you like voting to be possible on more than one day? [Yes / No] | 734 | 81% |
| 13d | Do you have any other comments? | 314 | 34% |
| 14 | Do you think that we should move to a rolling programme of reviews of local government electoral arrangements? [Yes / No] | 691 | 76% |
| Comments | 132 | 14% | |
| 15a | Should Scottish Ministers be able to change the recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland on Scottish Parliament constituencies and council wards? [Yes / No] | 702 | 77% |
| 15b | Should the Scottish Parliament be able to challenge the recommendations of the Boundary Commission on Scottish Parliament constituencies and council wards? [Yes / No] | 701 | 77% |
| 15c | Should the recommendations of the Commission be implemented without change? [Yes / No] | 671 | 74% |
| 15d | Please comment on your answer. | 309 | 34% |
| 16 | Should the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland be allowed the flexibility to recommend wards which have between 2 and 5 councillors, instead of 3 or 4 councillors as at present? [Yes / No] | 689 | 76% |
| Comments | 164 | 18% | |
| 17 | Do you agree that the franchise should be extended to include everyone legally resident in Scotland? [Yes / No] | 750 | 82% |
| 18 | Do you have any views on how long should someone be resident in Scotland before they become eligible to vote? | 578 | 63% |
| 19 | Do you have any other comments to make on this issue? | 214 | 23% |
| 20 | Do you think that we should make it easier for individuals who may be at risk from any form of abuse to register anonymously, whilst maintaining the integrity of the electoral register? [Yes / No] | 750 | 82% |
| Comments | 133 | 15% | |
| 21 | Should a voter be allowed to register in more than one local authority area? [Yes / No] | 749 | 82% |
| Comments | 249 | 27% | |
| 22 | Do you agree that a voter should only be allowed vote once in local government elections in Scotland? [Yes / No] | 746 | 82% |
| Comments | 146 | 16% | |
| 23 | What other action could the Scottish Government take to widen access to and remove barriers to voting and elected office? | 395 | 43% |
| 24 | As well as the above arrangements, is there anything else that could be done to increase the accessibility of elections? | 256 | 28% |
| 25 | How can the Scottish Government best support gender balance in those elected as MSPs or local councillors? | 421 | 46% |
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